Holding On To You
by pomatterpie
Summary: The one where New York-based theater and film actress Shelby Corcoran tries to convince her teenager that she's a "cool" mom. No, really. An NYC-AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _Truly and honestly based off the recent Idina interviews where she talks about how her son doesn't think she's cool. Lol. This will be a short story. Also in this AU — S has an established relationship with R. She shares custody with the Berry's and has helped raised R her whole life._

* * *

Shelby didn't understand.

She was cool.

She _had_ to be.

She was an actress, a singer, a songwriter. She was a regular on Broadway, some would even say, a legend of the Great White Way. And she had three Tony Awards for acting to show for it. A Grammy. A Golden Globe nom. She even lent her voice to a leading role in one of the most successful animated films of the decade.

She's had a prolific career that has only continued to skyrocket to stratostopheric heights since she packed her bags and left her small town life behind in the Midwest more than fifteen years ago now.

She was truly a star in her own right.

And yet.

Her own kid didn't think she was.

_Cool_, that is.

Not even in the slightest.

"Hello? Earth to Shelby!" Cassandra July scowled at the woman after failing to capture her attention for the second time. "What's with that face your making?"

Shelby let out a forlorn sigh, drew her sunglasses onto her face, then adjusted her baseball cap on her head. "What? Nothing," she shook her head.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "You literally have _the_ most expressive face like ever. We make money off of it, remember? I can _always_ tell whenever you're mad or upset."

"I'm neither," Shelby replied, reviewing her appearance in the mirror, hoping that would do the trick. She just needed to be a tad more unrecognizable than usual. "It's nothing, Cass. I swear."

"No, seriously. What is it?" Cassandra prompted, mostly out of boredom. "Is it Rachel again? Because you know we're literally on the way to pick her up right now."

"I know," Shelby brightened significantly at that. "Thanks for driving me, by the way."

"Whatever," Cassandra muttered with a lazy shrug. "You have a car service that you could've taken to the airport. So sure, makes perfect sense to wake me up at an ungodly hour to take you to LaGuardia"

Now, Shelby rolled _her_ eyes at that. "Mhmm, sure. So sorry," she said with fake sympathy. "As if you didn't want to see Rach. She told me last night that you called her the other day and said how excited you were for her to spend the week here."

"That little twerp!" Cassandra remarked in shock. "Can't believe she outed me!"

Shelby laughed aloud at her best friend. "You're so annoying. There's nothing wrong with wanting to spend time with your God daughter. You know much she adores you."

"This is true," Cassandra said with total confidence. "I _am_ awesome."

Shelby only issued a rather disgruntled groan in response.

"What?"

Shelby sighed. "_That's_ the problem," she confessed sadly. "Rachel _does_ think you're awesome. She thinks you're cool. And fun. I don't think she feels the same about me."

Cassandra paused for a few moments, turned her head to face Shelby, then burst out into raucous laughter.

Shelby whipped her sunglasses off and cast an erosive glare toward the blonde. "Seriously? This is why I_ hate_ telling you anything."

"Okay, my bad," Cassandra managed to choke out through her chortling. "I'm _sorry_. I didn't mean to laugh," she stopped and cleared her throat before letting out one last giggle. "God, Shel, she's your kid. She's biologically not supposed to think you're cool. I mean did you ever think your parents were cool growing up?"

Shelby couldn't help the pout that formed. "No but—"

"Also, she just turned thirteen two days ago, so seriously good luck with that. You're like in it now. She's not going to want anything to do with you for _years_. Maybe you guys can be friends again when she moves to New York for college."

Thinking, Shelby frowned at the prospect that Cassandra may be right or at least had a point. She glanced out the window when they approached the tollway for the airport and suddenly years of airport pickups and drop-offs between New York and Ohio flashed through her mind.

How was _her baby_ a _teenager_ now? In a blink. Where did the time go?

She was twenty two years old when she arrived to the city with exactly two suitcases, a pocketful of dreams, and a drive that was always too big for where she came from.

In order to save costs, she answered a listing in the paper and found herself moving into the spare bedroom of Hiram and LeRoy Berry on the Upper West Side. They were newlyweds who hailed from an even smaller city near her hometown in Ohio. LeRoy was a professional journalist and Hiram was an investment banker. They were kind, easygoing, and fun roommates for two men who were almost ten years her senior. They took care of and looked after her. They became unlikely friends, even more unexpectedly, a family.

And Rachel… _Rachel_ was a decision they came to together. After adoption didn't work out. After months of exhausting all of their other options to be fathers. Being their surrogate was the least she felt like she could do for the two men who had sincerely grown to be her best friends, her family, who had given her a home and provided her the love and support she needed to jumpstart her life and career. It was something she had always wanted for herself too. Being a mom, having a child. She wanted it as much as everything else.

She knew she wouldn't be anywhere close to where she was today or have enjoyed the amount of success without Hiram and LeRoy and the wings they've given her to fly.

They spent the first six years of Rachel's life living in New York, learning how to coparent and building their lives together. Shelby was also focused on her theater career back then. By the time Rachel was five, Shelby was originating a role on Broadway, one that would earn her her first Tony Award, and go on to change the course of her career forever.

It was her idea to take Rachel outside of the city to attempt to give her a childhood as normal as possible. As soon as her fame began to gain traction, they stopped to take stock. And when LeRoy got the job offer to take over the local newspaper in his hometown of Lima, it felt like the right thing to do. They all agreed to move Rachel away from the city, the scrutiny, the limelight. They wanted her to grow up with as much normalcy they could provide to protect her and to keep her grounded. And though it meant spending more time apart than together since Shelby stayed in New York, she knew it was the best thing to do for her daughter.

They all still shared custody and she remained her parent as much as her two dads. Every holiday break, long weekends, and summer vacations were spent with her. And she made it a priority to fly back to Ohio one weekend a month, often every other, no matter what her schedule was or what project she was currently in the middle of. She worked it in every contract before she signed on. Her kid came first. And she never wanted them to spend more than a few weeks apart at a time.

"Ugh I'm sorry," Cassandra nudged after a few silence-filled moments. "Dude… are you _crying_? Aw Shel. I didn't mean anything, you are a cool mom. I swear. Like one of the coolest."

Shelby blinked a few more times to clear the mist from her eyes and to temper her growing emotions. "No I'm sorry," she swiped a hand at the errant tears that escaped. "I'm fine," she insisted then pulled kleenex from the holder in the sun visor. "I just… I don't know," she blew her nose. "You're right, Cass. Rachel is growing up so_ fast_. I can't believe she's thirteen now. I don't even know how that's possible. I just feel like it's all happening so quickly, and I feel like I'm _missing_ it all. You know? I wasn't even there for her birthday. This was the first one we've spent apart."

"_Shel_. You couldn't be. You had to work, you had the London premiere, and Rachel understood. You also get to celebrate together now. All week. I know you'll make it up to her. And then some. You honestly spoil her."

"No, I know," she shook her head at Cassandra's chiding tone. "I know. We talk about this all the time. And I know I shouldn't feel guilty about continuing to work and living away from everyone. I know we're all used to this, and it's normal for her. I don't know… I just truly feel like the years start coming, and they don't stop coming."

"Did you just quote that song from _Shrek_?"

"Maybe," Shelby sniffled hard one last time. "Shut up, it used to be Rach's favorite. There was one weekend where we watched it _six times_ in forty-eight hours, and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. But, whatever, it's the same sentiment. It just hit me last night, though. Rachel's going to be in _high school_ next fall. And then she's going to be learning how to drive, going on dates with boys, or girls, or whomever she likes, figuring out what she wants to do for the rest of her life, applying to colleges. There's going to be all of these milestones coming up, and I won't be there."

"_Shel. That is not true._ You know that."

Shelby nodded, though unconfidently. She did. For the most part. She and Rachel had a close relationship, despite the split home arrangement. They had a special bond. Hiram and LeRoy always ribbed her about how their daughter ended up being _such_ a mommy's girl even with two fathers. More so, they even had a lot in common. Though admittedly maybe it was some of her influence, they shared the same passion for music and theater. The arts. An affinity for Barbra. Dramatics, for better and for worse. And every day, she sincerely saw more and more of herself in her daughter. Even physically. It made her so profoundly proud. And continued to confirm that out of everything she has and will ever accomplish, Rachel will always be the best thing she's ever done. Without question.

"I know," she agreed, attempting to rein in control of her emotions. "It's just been on my mind. I know. I know how blessed I am to do what I do. This was one of the best years of my life. The Golden Globe. Disney. My album. It's all been beyond amazing. But I just find myself missing her more and more. _So much_, Cass. Especially lately. It's becoming increasingly difficult because I feel like there's more to miss recently."

Cassandra tossed her a sad smile. "Well, you know you can take a break," she reasoned. "If you want, you can just hit pause. Maybe move back to Ohio for a few years and be with Rach and Hiram and LeRoy, if it means that much to you."

"I don't know if I can."

"Shelby, you can do whatever you want. It's your life," Cassandra pointed out. "And as your manager, I can definitely say that you can afford to stop and take time for your family. That was always the deal, right? You always said that we conquer it all and that our strategy is a full-court press _until_ it begins to interfere with your kid. That's what it's sounding like it here to me. Your career can wait. You're outstanding. You've proven yourself. There will still be work waiting for you after this. I have zero doubt about that."

Shelby paused, offering to give Cassandra's suggestion some serious consideration. She also had a point about this. But it wasn't as clear cut as her long-time business partner framed it to be. She had contractual obligations and a personal staff that relied on her for their livelihoods. She had an entire life in the city, both personally and professionally. And perhaps more selfishly, she inherently felt like she had just broken past a new barrier in the career that she _loved_ and the momentum was immensely tantalizing. Hitting pause didn't feel right to her. Maybe striking a better balance was.

"It was just a suggestion," Cassandra backtracked. "Obviously you should talk to Hiram and LeRoy about this. Even Rach. Especially her. See how she feels about everything lately. Just saying that you do have choices."

Shelby remained silent, lost in her thoughts about it all.

"Alright," Cassandra decided while she accelerated her speed, merging on to the far left lane away from the curb. "We're still early, so I'm going to do one more lap before I drop you off to pick up your child. I'm going to give you exactly seven minutes here to get it together, Corcoran."

"Cass," she began to protest, hating how it came out as a whine.

"Okay, so what happened anyway that triggered all of this? Did Rach say something last night?"

Shelby struggled to answer, slightly embarrassed at how sensitive she was feeling and acting about this. This was so unlike her. She never had these insecurities before, and it felt grossly unfamiliar to her. She really needed to get a grip.

"You better talk to me now when you have the chance, because you and I both know what happens when you let things fester," Cassandra warned with a grave tone. "You're going to be with Rach non-stop for the next two weeks, and the last thing you want to do is for it to blow up on her. Tell me I'm wrong."

"Fine," Shelby relented at the cruelty of a Cassandra July checkmate. She ran her hands over her face out of frustration before replying. "It was the stupid Instagram filter," she mumbled.

Cassandra reached a hand out to lower the volume of the car radio. "The what?"

"The Instagram filter for my holiday album promotion," Shelby explained. "Remember? It was your idea, so that fans can use it and share it for publicity."

"And what does my brilliant marketing strategies have to do with any of this?"

"Rach said that all of the kids at her school were using it and sending it to her last week, some as a joke, and she said she was embarrassed," she relayed. "She was wondering how much longer it was going to be up."

"Embarrassed?" Cassandra scoff. "Your album sold eight hundred thousand copies this week alone."

"I don't think that's the point," Shelby countered. She sighed deeply. "And this isn't the first time either that she's made a comment about things like this. I don't know Cass. I get where maybe Rach is coming from. But… how is this the same little girl who made me miss giving my acceptance speech at the Tony's just two years ago because she was throwing a temper tantrum backstage about me not paying enough attention to her? Remember how I couldn't take her anywhere or put her in any situation where I couldn't give her my undivided attention? And now, anytime she asks me for a little bit of space and independence, I just lose it. I can't handle it. And I just want to hold on tighter. What do I do?"

"You need to chill out," Cassandra responded, faltering slightly from the caustic and destructive arched eyebrow directed her way. "No, really. Because Shel, Rachel is _always_ going to need you. You're her mom. That will never, _ever_ change. But she is growing up, so you have to do your part and let her and let go. You two are just in the middle of a transition. That's what this is. Let her and let go. Repeat after me."

"A lot easier said than done," Shelby lamented.

"And I don't think you're going to win the cool argument here either. That's like swimming against the current. And please don't try because there's nothing worse than a mom _trying_ to be cool."

"Jesus, remind me to never ask you for parenting advice ever again," Shelby decided as she unbuckled her seatbelt when they pulled up again to arrivals.

"Tough love babe, sorry that's all we have time for," Cassandra shrugged. "I mean, just be yourself. That's all Rachel cares about. I promise you. Being cool is all subjective, anyway. Like in real life, I'm _definitely_ cooler than you are."

"Okay goodbye," Shelby cut her off while she pushed open the passenger door. "I am done talking about this. Absolutely thank you so much for nothing. And I will be right back with Rach."

After jogging from the car to the terminal to avoid the cold, Shelby wrapped her oversized coat around herself as soon as she stepped inside the airport. She made a beeline for the arrivals and departures board and scanned her eyes swiftly across the screen for her daughter's early-morning flight in from Columbus. Once she saw that it arrived at the gate, she made her way toward the baggage claim, grateful that she was here before the pre-morning rush so she can pick her daughter up mostly undetected.

Not even a second after she set foot off the escalator, she heard Rachel's voice calling her name. "Mom!"

The teenager waved a hand above her head then ran toward her. When Rachel barrelled into her, she scooped her daughter up in her arms, lifting her feet off the ground, sincerely relieved that she was still allowed to do so.

"Hi baby, oh it's so good to see you!" She squeezed tightly before setting her back down. "I missed you so, so much, Rach," she said, pulling her in again and stealing a few kisses atop her head.

Rachel laughed at all the affection. "It's only been three weeks, mom. I just saw you at Thanksgiving."

"That's true," Shelby ruffled her brown hair fondly. "But you know how much I miss you every—"

"—day we're apart and not together," Rachel completed her mother's favorite greeting. Not once has the woman failed to say it in years and years worth of airport pick-ups. She smiled. "Me too, mommy."

"Exactly, my love," Shelby replied, melting. She took Rachel's duffel that had been relegated to the ground in their embrace and slung it over her shoulder. She then used her free arm to wrap it around her daughter while she guided them back upstairs. "I'm so happy you're here, Rach."

"Me too and I'm glad to be on break," the teen agreed. "How was Europe, mom? Did you have a good world premiere? It's all Kurt and Mercedes can talk about."

"It was incredible, but I definitely missed you and your daddies this time around. I'm also a little exhausted," she admitted through a yawn. "I just flew in from London right before midnight yesterday, so I haven't been home that long yet either."

Rachel cocked her head up at her worriedly. "Yeah, what are our plans for this week, then? I know you said you still have to work? New York premiere next?"

Shelby drew her to her side even closer and rubbed her arm placatingly. "Just a bit over the next three days. They want me to perform for the Saks Fifth Avenue holiday window display unveiling tonight. Only a short set. Early tomorrow is _Good Morning America_. Tuesday night is the red carpet. But, as always Rach, it is completely up to you to decide what you want to go to. If at all. And in between all of that is whatever you want to do, honey."

"Hmm… I mean, maybe, who's going to be the guest at _Good Morning America_? Someone cool I hope?"

Shelby chuckled. "Uh, me, your mom… Shelby Corcoran."

Rachel's cheeks tinged pink at the accidental slight. "Oh, right. Okay, sure. I don't know," she gave a shrug. "I don't want to just stay around the apartment by myself, so I think I'm in for all then."

"Yeah?" Shelby double-checked.

"Yeah, I think so," Rachel responded brightly. "I want to be wherever you are. And also with Aunt Cass. I have so much to tell her."

"Great," Shelby replied, chalking this up as a win for now.

Cassandra was right. She wasn't in denial that her not so little girl anymore was growing up. She's well aware that Rachel's views may be changing and she may not think that she was cool anymore or… yet. But now she had three rare opportunities to show her daughter otherwise. And, better yet, she was determined to use these chances to bring them even closer together. So that's exactly what she was going to do.

"Also," she whispered slyly. "Guess what I just found out about your Aunt Cass? Did you know that _Shrek_ is also one of her favorite movies? I'm thinking that you should definitely ask her to watch with you this week."


	2. Chapter 2

At the sound of heels clicking down the penthouse hallway, Cassandra lifted her gaze up from her laptop when Shelby, hair curled and make-up applied, entered the living room

"Alright, which one?" the actress gestured with her eyes to the two choices of stylish wool and cashmere coats hanging off the kitchen bar stools.

"Hmmm... go with the white one with gold buttons. I don't think the powder blue is the right move for tonight."

"White it is," Shelby murmured, distracted with adjusting her earrings, as she crossed the room. "Thanks for picking it up for me."

Cassandra nodded in response, rising from her position on the couch to meet the woman over by the high counter. "No worries, it was on my way. Can't believe Saks is just giving these to you for free for the show. I'm pretty sure each of these jackets costs more than my rent every month."

"I'm pretty sure that's not true," Shelby chuckled, rolling her eyes. "_But_, I do think the blue one would look better on you anyway, so consider it all yours."

"And that's _exactly_ what I was hoping you'd say," Cassandra answered with a sneaky smile, swiping the coat off the hanger and slipping it on with a wink.

"Have I told you yet today that you are _the literal worst?"_ Shelby said in fake annoyance when the woman ran off to the floor-to-ceiling mirror to check herself out.

"Only once so far, but the night is young," Cassandra said with a smirk while she sashayed back over to her irate boss. "You know I love me some free swag."

"Mhmm," Shelby shook her head in disapproval as she patted herself down, peeking at the digital clock on the stove. "I'm early, right? What time do we have to be there?"

"A little after six for a quick sound-check and press, so in an hour. Dustin's going to pick us up and do security tonight. And I can stay with Rach while you do your thing."

"Well then why did you rush me to get ready?" Shelby questioned with a tired yawn. "Rach and I could've gotten a little bit more sleep."

"It's almost five, you guys would have been up forever later if you kept napping," Cassandra resoned, shrugging the jacket off and walking away briefly to grab her laptop off the couch. "_And_ also you agreed to do a Q&A on Twitter before the concert tonight."

"No I didn't," Shelby replied in confusion.

"Alright, well," Cassandra paused and sucked in a slow breath through her teeth. "I may or may not have forgotten to ask and already told more than one million of your Twitter followers that we would, so I'm ready whenever you are," she confessed in one big breath.

"Cass!" Shelby groaned, throwing an impatient glare her way. "You know I need more advance warning when you—"

"Mom?" Rachel's voice called out. "It's snowing out and I want to wear my brown boots. They're not in my closet though, and I can't find them. Do you know where they are?"

Shelby peered over Cassandra's shoulder to find her daughter, head down to her phone, padding down the hallway. Her green eyes widened when she caught a closer look at the girl's outfit and she instantly leaned over to the other woman. "If you say _anything_ about the sweater, I _will kill you _with my bare hands," she warned quickly under her breath, her tone low and dangerous.

"What are you ta—" Cassandra asked, turning around and instantly clenching her jaw from falling when Rachel approached, donning a plaid skirt, knee socks, and a black knit sweater with a reindeer sewed right smack in the middle. "Oh good God."

"They're in the coat closet, honey," Shelby snapped her attention back to the teen, responding in a far more cheery voice. "You left them the last time you were here. And we're not leaving yet Rach, but make sure to grab one of your thicker jackets later. We're going to be outside for a while and I want to make sure you're warm enough."

"M'kay," Rachel mumbled, her focus still trained on the screen.

"Well _that's _an—" Cassandra coughed uncomfortably, her words choking off when she felt Shelby elbow her side.

"You look cute babe," Shelby commented instead. "Did you go shopping recently?"

Rachel shook her head, still distracted. "Thanks, and no, dad and daddy got me this sweater for my birthday."

"They _did?_" Cassandra remarked in a deeply questioning tone, slightly wavering at the daggers being glared her way. "Are those _sequins_ on the antlers?" She began to reach out to touch, but was forcibly smacked down by Shelby's angry hand.

"Rach are you sure you don't want to wear anything warmer?" Shelby interjected, shoving Cassandra away. "We're going to be outside for a couple hours, so pants may be a bit more comfortable."

"Nah I'm okay," Rachel shrugged, finally glancing up from her phone, only somewhat confused by how weird the two adults looked at the moment, but chalking it up as mostly normal for them. "I'll just wear my parka."

"Alright hon, are you sure? I just don't want you getting sick or—"

"_Mom,"_ Rachel whined at the prompting. "I'll be fine. And I'll bring my hat and gloves and everything else. I promise."

"Okay," Shelby backed off with a sigh. "Just please make sure that you do."

"Yup," the teen agreed with a noncommittal nod. She settled on the bar stool next to Cassandra, who was still rubbing the stinging pain on her arm. "What'd you do to your arm, Aunt Cass?"

"Nothing," both women replied at the same time.

"Okay then," Rachel said suspiciously but shifted her attention back to her phone when it buzzed again. "Mom, why are you trending?"

"What?" Shelby frowned.

"She is?" Cassandra's heart skipped a beat, opening up the laptop immediately.

"Yeah, look," Rachel flashed her screen at them. "Kurt said #AskShelby is trending on Twitter. What are you guys doing? Answering fan questions?"

"_Oh,"_ they replied again simultaneously, breathing in a collective sigh of relief.

"Allegedly, we are," Shelby answered with an icy stare at her publicist and manager.

"It's for some more holiday album promotion," Cassandra elaborated while she clicked back on the site. "It'll be quick. And you can keep getting ready, Shel. We'll only do a few and I'll type them in for you. Want to help me field questions, Rach?"

"Sure!" The teen agreed readily.

"_Only_ if you eat something first before we head out, Rach. It's going to be a while until we go to dinner later," Shelby instructed while she walked toward the fridge. "Do you want me to heat up your leftovers from lunch?"

"Oh what about this one," Rachel pointed to the screen, already engrossed. "It's an easy one to answer. What's your favorite holiday movie, mom?"

"_Rachel_," Shelby repeated to capture her attention. "Leftovers or something else? Or I can make you something quickly if you prefer?"

Rachel looked up and swallowed at the woman's raised eyebrow but shook her objection. "No thanks, I'm not hungry. Or how about… what was your favorite song to perform on the album?"

Shelby paused to channel her patience from deep within. "I'm not going to answer any questions until you tell me what you want," she said flatly. "You have to eat, Rach. Even something small. We had an early lunch and I know you're going to be hungry later."

"_Mooom,"_ Rachel groaned. "But I'm _not_ hungry. And I _don't_ need to eat. I'm fine right now."

The threatening manner in which her mother's eyebrows arched even further and the catastrophic way her lips set into a tight line immediately compelled the teenager to rethink her decision.

"Okay fine, can I have a yogurt please? And then I'll eat this banana," Rachel erred on the side of self-preservation, swiping it out of the fruit bowl.

"That's all I ask," Shelby shook her head, feeling a phantom headache come on at all the unnecessary prodding. Forgive her for wanting her child _warm_ and _fed_.

"Wise choice, sis," Cassandra whispered over to the girl while Shelby occupied herself at the fridge. "That look always gets me too."

"What are you two giggling at?" Shelby questioned with a faux sternness when she came back to join them, handing her daughter a spoon and the yogurt.

"Nothing," Rachel threw a sheepish smile her way. "Thanks mom. So favorite movie?"

Shelby leaned forward over the counter, thinking. She watched her daughter struggle to open the packaging but decided to wait. "_The Holiday_?"

"Because she _loves _Jude Law," Rachel added, singsonging. "Mom can you—" she looked almost surprised when she saw her mother's hand already outstretched to help her. "Thank you," she said, handing back the snack.

"And now… what was your favorite song to perform on the new album?" Cassandra pitched next.

"_O Holy Night _and _Ave Maria_," Shelby responded, tossing the yogurt cover into the garbage. "Honey, I forgot to ask, did you get the vinyl copies you wanted for your friends? We shipped them before I left for Paris and London."

"Mhmm," Rachel nodded, swallowing her first bite. "I gave them to Kurt, Tina, and Mercedes already. Thanks for signing them, mama."

"Anytime, my love," Shelby replied, taking the banana and opening it. She lifted it to the girl as a reminder to eat next.

"What song was the most fun for you to record?" Cassandra interjected.

"_Rocking Around the Christmas Tree _with April Rhodes."

"Oh I like this one," Rachel chirped, peeking at the incoming slew of tweets on the monitor. "What job would you like to have if you couldn't sing or act?"

"Professional tennis player," Shelby replied without skipping a beat. "What?" She scoffed over the tittering response from the two. "You guys know that I have a mean two-handed backhand. Like seriously, it's _sick._"

"Sure, mom," Rachel said placatingly. "Oh also, are we still playing tennis tomorrow with Jesse and Aunt G?"

Shelby and Cassandra shared a passing smirk at the noticeable uptick of interest from the girl regarding their close family friends.

Gina St. James was an accomplished film, theater, and television producer they worked with often. Shelby, Cassandra, and Gina were in the same graduating class at NYU and the three of them had later come up in success together. They threw each other support any chance they got and developed a symbiotic relationship to get through the cutthroat nature of the industry. Shelby and Gina bonded even further when they both had children at around the same time. Her son was six months older than her daughter, and the two had grown to be friends, their connection seeming to strengthen as they grew older.

"Yes, they invited us to play a bit after my GMA interview and before lunch tomorrow," Shelby confirmed. "Did you text Jesse about it?"

"A little," Rachel said, a blush creeping on her face. "Um—anyway, what album could you always listen to and never tire of?"

Cassandra chuckled, deciding to give the kid a cover. "Well that's easy. That's gotta be one Ms. Lauryn Hill," she replied, already typing. "Isn't that right, Shel?"

"God yes," Shelby laughed in recollection. "We used to listen to _The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill_ over and over again in college. Didn't we, Cass? I'm still convinced our RA broke in to steal that CD cause we used to annoy everyone on our dorm floor every time we blasted it."

"That is for sure. Honestly, she didn't understand what she was silencing. That album is _the_ truth of society," she said to a high five of solidarity from her best friend.

"What's a dream song that you'd like to cover?" Rachel asked next.

"_Walking on Broken Glass_ by—"

"Annie Lenox!" Rachel completed. "You sing it in the shower _all_ the time."

"Who would you love to work with one day that you haven't had the opportunity to work with yet?" Cassandra threw out after.

"Rach knows this too," Shelby chuckled, nodding at the girl to give her answer.

"_Barbra_... _duh_," the teen responded in the most obvious tone. "Come on, Aunt Cass! I thought you were going to make this happen already."

"Hey don't give me that look, Corcorans," the manager defended at the accusation. "I'm working on it, I'm working on it," she reached over to pinky promise both mother and daughter before continuing with the other questions.

"Do you have any Christmas or Hanukkah traditions? And what's your favorite part of the holiday season?"

"I'm a Jewish girl who likes to collect ornaments from around the world," Shelby joked. "I also like lighting the menorah that's been in our family for generations. And my favorite part of the season is decorating the house and spending time with my family. Baby, eat your banana."

"What are you looking forward to next year?"

Shelby shrugged. "Returning to Broadway in the Spring. Other than that, nothing beyond taking more time off to be with my kid."

"You are?" Rachel asked, her mouth full.

Shelby exhaled a loaded breath. "I think so, honey," she decided, walking around the island to join the pair on the other side of the counter. "At least I'm planning to take the summer off. You'll be busy in the fall with starting high school, and I was thinking we can travel a bit before then."

"Yeah, that sounds good to me," Rachel said, not thinking too much of it. She rested her back against her mother's chest when the woman came to stand behind her.

"Okay, just a few more I think, but here's your favorite question Shel," Cassandra said, grinning up at her because she already knew the answer. "What's the best role that you've ever had?"

Letting out a small chuckle, Shelby wrapped her arms around her daughter happily. "Now that's definitely the easiest one to respond to because my most _favorite_ and best role that I've ever had is being this one's _mommy,"_ she said, leaning down to pepper the girl's cheeks with kiss after kiss.

"_Mom!" _Rachel laughed out another whine. "_Stooop_," she protested halfheartedly at all the affection. "You're so cheesy! Let me go!"

"Never!" Shelby exclaimed over her child's giggling, tightening her hold of her. "Not a chance, little girl."

* * *

While waiting in the middle of the lobby, Cassandra glanced over her shoulder to check the status of the elevator. She was hoping she had more time until Shelby returned from fetching Rachel's forgotten hat before they left for the concert.

Once she deemed it safe, she turned her attention to the thirteen year old, who seemed to be perpetually glued to the screen.

"Yo, Rach."

Rachel hummed a response but kept her head ducked to her phone.

Only possessing an even smaller half of _already_ half of her best friend's patience in dealing with the ways of the youth, Cassandra sighed then plucked it out of the girl's hands.

"Hey!" Rachel scowled in objection. "What are you doing? Give that back."

"I will," Cassandra replied, holding it up over her head out of the petite teen's reach, who was currently jumping up and failing to grab it. "When you tell me if this is you," she demanded, shoving Rachel's phone in her back pocket and taking her own out.

"What are you talking about?" Rachel frowned, crossing her arms across her chest in contempt.

"Okay, please wipe that pout off your face, cause I've got dirt on you kid, and I sincerely suggest that you tread very carefully right now."

Rachel dropped her arms to her sides at that, worry taking over her expression. "What did I do?"

Cassandra lifted up a stern hand while she clicked through her own phone with the other. "Okay, Miss Thing, is this not you who tweeted this earlier?"

Rachel scanned her eyes anxiously across the screen shoved in front of her face and gave a nervous laugh when she finally realized what the woman was talking about. "What? How did you find that? There were literally _thousands_ of tweets coming in."

"Mhmm, smart ass, who else with a gold star as a profile picture is going to send '_Are we done tweeting yet? I'm sooo bored' _to the Ask Shelby hashtag," Cassandra pointed out, trying hard to keep an amused smile on her face from forming. "Of course I was going to notice that. But that's not the point, _since when_ and how long have you had a fake Twitter account? And does your mom know about it?"

"Well you guys _were_ taking _forever_ earlier and Kurt told me to tweet it as a joke because we thought there was no way you'd see it, but no, she doesn't know and you can't tell her!" Rachel exclaimed in a panic. "Please!"

Cassandra nodded, figuring as much. "Do you have a second Instagram account too? Fake Instagram? Finsta, whatever, you know what I mean," she inquired, watching the teen open and close her mouth soundlessly, presumably strategizing. "Because you know I'll find it."

"_Aunt Cass!" _Rachel grumbled in frustration, stomping her foot. "Come on, please don't tell mom. I'm not doing anything on it! I promise. And basically only Kurt and Mercedes follow me. It's not a big deal, and I'm being super careful. I swear."

"Rachel, you know how your mom feels about your privacy on the Internet," Cassandra countered, not keen on being the bad cop right now, but understanding she had to. "And I have to agree with her on this one. There's a reason why we had management set up your accounts for you and put two-factor security on them. You know that we need to be far more careful and cautious than most people with your online presence. Your mom's not just anyone, and _you_ are not just anyone either, kid."

"I know that," Rachel pouted. "But I _swear_ I haven't like tweeted any private information or shared any pictures or anything that would give away who I am. And my Insta is on private, anyway. I'm not dumb, Aunt Cass."

"Hey, I didn't say that. I never said you were," Cassandra contended firmly. "In fact, I know you're not, Rach. _But _what are you even posting anyway that you have to hide from your mom and dads? Why do you need the second account?"

"_Nothing_," the teenager maintained. "Nothing. I'm not doing anything I shouldn't be. I… ugh, I don't know. Everyone else has one. And it's just a fun way to share things with, you know, my real friends and not… for everyone. I'm not posting anything that'll put mom's career in jeopardy or anything. I wouldn't do that."

"Alright, I believe you," Cassandra accepted. And she did. More so, she knew that Rachel was a good kid, a smart one, who generally made good decisions. A kid who also grew up dealing with fame from day one and understood the level of responsibility it entailed. She had to. They've been drilling it into her for years. "But—"

"_Aunt Cass_," Rachel started to interrupt. "I'm _not_ doing anything wrong."

Cassandra quirked an eyebrow equally formidable as Shelby's. "Fine Rach, I hear you. _But,_ I am going to give you a choice here. You either let me follow you, so I can make sure that you continue to do nothing wrong or you take this up with your mother."

"What! Why?!"

"Listen," Cassandra insisted. "I _promise _you that I _do not_ care about what dairy-free, gluten-free, meat-free, vegan nonsense you and Kurt are ordering at the Lima Bean every day and posting for the world to see. Could care less, actually. And I'm not going to be sitting here looking through your feed every second of my life. Guarantee that I won't. There are truly so many other things I would rather do. I just want to check in every once in a while to make sure that there's nothing untoward happening on your channels," she raised her palm again to cut the girl off again. "And if it's all harmless like you say, I promise I will not share anything I see with your mom. That's the deal, kid. Take it or leave it."

"Ugh! This is _so_ unbelievably unfair," Rachel grumbled, a deep set frown planted firmly across her face.

"Come on, Rachel," the woman reasoned. "It's just me. And I get it, okay? Believe it or not I was once a teenager and I totally understand your need for privacy and space. Been there. Done that. Can relate. _But_, you know how this goes, kid. I just need to cover my bases here. Don't take it personally. It's business. It goes with the territory. And you have my word that I won't snitch on you… unless of course I see you doing something dangerous or illegal, alright? No funny business and for the most part, I will mind my own business. Trust me."

Rachel scuffed the polished Italian tile beneath her feet, internally debating. "Whatever, _fine_," she huffed out her agreement after a few moments of consideration.

"And don't even think about making _another _fake Instagram to your fake Instagram because I _will _find that too and then I'll for sure tell your mother," Cassandra added.

"Aunt _Caaaaasssss_," Rachel whined passionately. "Why are you doing this to me? I thought you were cool."

Cassandra took a step back, placing a hand over her chest in mock pain. "How dare you. You take that back, Rachel Barbra Berry Corcoran! I _am_ cool."

Rachel rolled her eyes and gave a small laugh, relieved that she didn't seem to be in too much trouble. "You're not acting like it. Threatening to tell mom and everything," she said sadly. "Thought we were friends."

Cassandra chuckled, closing the distance between them and pulling the girl in for a conciliatory hug. "Come on Rach, we _are_ friends. And we can keep being friends. You can always come to me about anything if you feel like you can't talk about it with your parents. I know you know that. And I'm not mad. I'm just looking out, okay? For all of us. That's all this is. Swear I'm not trying to ruin your second life on the Internet."

Rachel laughed again and stepped into the embrace, her fight regarding it all beginning to wane. "Okay, fine… _I guess_."

"Oh kid," Cassandra rubbed her back in a pacifying manner. "As if you really had a choice."

* * *

**A/N:** _SOS having quite a time writing this; so, yeah, changing plans once again. More soon, thanks for all the love!_


	3. Chapter 3

"Alright Rach, here are your hat and gloves that I repeatedly told you not to forget," Shelby said as soon as she stepped off the elevator, impatience in her tone. "Now please apologize to your Aunt Cass because we are now running late for press."

Rachel threw an awkward glance at the other woman and gave a half smile in response. "Sorry Aunt Cass."

Cassandra helped adjust the wool hat over Rachel's head, winking when the girl reluctantly met her gaze. "It's okay kid, just make sure to do a better job of listening to your mom," she advised, catching her best friend smile through her periphery. "She is annoyingly almost right. But it's alright, we're still waiting for our ride anyway."

"Really?" Shelby frowned, checking the time on her phone. "That's weird. Dustin's never late. Is he picking us up out front or in the garage?"

"Actually, Dustin texted earlier and said he wasn't feeling well, so I let him have the night off."

"Oh, well I hope he's okay, but then who's coming with us?" Shelby asked, growing serious. Usually, she didn't mind attending events without security. It was actually a preference to fly low key, but the only exception was whenever she was out publicly with her daughter. She wanted to take every precaution. "You know I—"

"I know Shel," the manager nodded, already a step ahead of the situation. "That's why I asked—"

"Alvie!" Rachel exclaimed, taking off in a jumping sprint to greet the tall and handsome man who had just walked into the lobby. She crashed into him with a slight thud and wrapped her arms around his waist. Shelby and Cassandra both let out a collective aw when he pulled her in close and picked the thirteen-year-old clean up off the floor and spun her around in a circle.

"Oh, hi darling, I'm so happy to see you," he greeted the girl fondly, stealing a kiss on her cheek before placing her safely back on the ground.

"Please tell me that you did not ask my boyfriend to work security tonight," Shelby said, unable to take her eyes away from the two who were already in the middle of catching up.

"Oh, so we're _finally_ calling him your boyfriend now, are we?" Cassandra teased with a knowing smirk. "Christ. Took you long enough."

Shelby whipped the scarf in her hands against the blonde, fighting the silly smile that she felt forming. "Shut up."

"Anyway, he volunteered. Kind of. Might've also given him no choice. He actually called your phone earlier and I answered while you were helping Rach get ready and… might've mentioned we were in a bind. Sorry dude, I just know how you feel about going to events with Rach. But he sounded happy to do it. You know how he is."

Shelby nodded, her smile expanding. She did.

Alvaro used to be her, LeRoy, and Hiram's next-door neighbor. Once upon a time ago, they had both moved into the apartment building the very same day she left the NYU dorms. And he had just stepped off the plane from Spain, much further away. He had come to the States to study to be a doctor. They bonded over their pursuit of their dreams, rooted for one another, but constantly reminded each other to stop, breathe, and have fun. He pushed her but grounded her at the same time in a way nobody else ever has.

And for as long as she could remember, the Berry's had attempted to play matchmaker between the pair. They spent the better half of a decade teetering a will-they-or-won't-they relationship mostly because Shelby, steadfastly, and stubbornly, held on to her reservations. She was focused on her career. On her daughter. They remained friends. And for a while, he was a constant in her life, in Rachel's. Ultimately, it was him and Cassandra who helped shepherd her decision to become a surrogate. He was there the day Rachel was born. And for every bad cold and broken bone and birthday parties and music class recitals during the first half of her daughter's life.

Somehow, though unintentionally, they grew apart. Life came between them. They let it. Shelby and her family moved out. Her career skyrocketed. Any time she wasn't in Ohio, she was off working on a new project. Alvaro stayed in New York, hyper focused and committed on becoming a doctor.

It wasn't until she brought Rachel in to the emergency room after a particularly harrowing allergic reaction last December did she run into him again after a couple years of minimal contact. They reconnected instantly and without too much convincing on either of their parts, they eventually took a bold leap to _finally_ try to see if there was something there. And when they landed on their feet, the love and passion, comfort and security that surrounded them was more than enough to cause Shelby to commit to jumping all in.

She was sincerely and happily satisfied with her life, even beyond, but Alvaro coming back to them recently felt like finding the missing piece she didn't even realize she was searching for. She loved him. He loved her. And perhaps most importantly for her, they both loved Rachel. So far, he has proven to be the perfect fit, that missing piece that, maybe for the first time, has truly made her feel complete.

"Hey, guess what?" Rachel said excitedly. "Alvie said he's coming with us tonight!"

"Hi _Alvie," _Shelby greeted playfully, placing her hand on his chest and leaning in for a chaste kiss when he approached.

"I'm pretty sure that Rach is the only one who's allowed to call me that," he teased, lifting his hand to intertwine it with Shelby's. "Hi, you look beautiful. I missed you."

"I missed _you,_" Shelby murmured, certain that she must be smiling like an absolute fool now.

"Weren't you guys just on vacation together?" Rachel cut in, grimacing at the completely engrossed way the couple was currently looking at one another.

Cassandra laughed at the far too disturbed reaction from the teen. "Seriously. But kid has a point. And truly, _now_ we are all about to be late, so can we please head out?" She asked, yanking one away from the other. "I'm not paying you, sir, to take this one out on a date tonight. We're working."

"You're not paying me at all, Cassandra," Alvaro corrected, leading them all out toward the circle drive where he left his Range Rover running. "_You are_ just lucky that I missed these two so much," he remarked, holding the door open for the mother and daughter.

"Yeah, yeah," Cassandra dismissed with a wave. "We get it, family man. I'm crying over here for the dad that never paid any attention to me. Just please tell me you can get us to Midtown in fifteen minutes or less."

"Wait! Mom will you sit in the back with me?" Rachel asked, walking directly in between the pair and taking her mother's hand. "Please?"

Shelby hesitated at the urgency of the request and gave Alvaro an apologetic shrug when he shot her a questioning look.

"Sure honey," she granted, deciding to choose her battles for now. She gave a gentle squeeze and made a mental note to ask the girl about this later. "Of course, I will. Cass is that fine with you?"

"Was going to suggest it anyway so I can talk logistics with Al," she replied, hustling everyone along. "Now let's go, go, _go_, please."

* * *

"Alright, now that that's out of the way," Alvaro spoke up after indulging a Cassandra July list of demands for the evening. "How about we listen to some music?" He asked, peeking at his passengers in the rear-view mirror.

"Oh! Can I play something on the Bluetooth?" Rachel pitched. "Got my Spotify wrapped the other day and—"

"Well, actually, Rach," Alvaro interjected. "I was thinking we could play a new holiday album that the _Times _claimed _just feels necessary for this season!"_

"And puts a _certainly refreshing twist on the holiday classics_," Cassandra added with a prideful smirk.

A second later, a jazzy rendition of _The Most Wonderful Time of The Year _backed up with a big band began to fill every inch of the car, causing Shelby to groan at the sound of her voice.

"I resent you both!" She laughed when Alvaro turned it up even louder.

"Wow mom, I actually really like this," Rachel commented after the chorus, nodding her head in approval. "You sound great!"

All at once, all three of the adults whipped their heads to the teenager and stared at her in shock.

"What?" Cassandra gawked, leaning back to swat Rachel's knee that was within reach. "Are you telling me that you haven't listened to the new album yet?"

Rachel's eyes flared wide at the accidental confession. "Um… _no,_ of course I did!" She backtracked. "I totally listened to the song mom wrote for me about being together during holidays _and_ I listened our duet of _Silent Night_ from when I was eight, but I just… haven't checked out the rest," she admitted the last part quietly.

"Okay, so we're_ definitely_ _not_ letting _your_ _kid_ be around any reporters tonight," Cassandra said directly to Shelby. "No big deal that it only took us six weeks to record," she muttered under her breath while she turned back around to face forward.

"Hey!" Rachel cried out. "I was _going _to listen. I just haven't…_ yet_. And besides, mom sings and rehearses around the house _all the time_," she pled her defense. "I've practically already heard most of them by default."

"Rach, it's okay," Shelby assured for the sake of peace, chuckling while she wrapped her arms around the pouting girl and pulled her close. "It's fine if you haven't listened. No one is saying you have to, and I'm not upset, baby. I promise."

"Yeah, darling, it's okay," Alvaro seconded. "To be honest, I haven't even seen the new rom com that your mom's starring in, and that's been out since the summer."

"_Alright," _Cassandra scoffed, throwing her arms up in the air in frustration. "So, I was this years old today when I learned that I have an entirely _thankless_ job."

"Well, Alvie, _that _is because you can't stand seeing mom kiss anyone else," Rachel pointed out to the man, scrunching her nose in equal displeasure.

"Alright fair, that's true too," Alvaro agreed, amused that like her mother, he could never get one past the girl. "_But_, that doesn't mean that I am any less proud of your mom," he said, deciding to make an unplanned left turn.

"Al, what are you doing?" Cassandra groaned at the deviation. "This is going to take us by Times Square and we're already running late. Traffic is crazy."

"I know, I know," Alvaro said, faltering at the frigid glare from the blonde. "But, Rach just got back in town, which means that she still hasn't seen… _this."_

"Woah!" Rachel said in awe, scooting closer to the window when the billboard came into view a moment later. "Mom, look! Is that you?"

Shelby watched her daughter push the window down and stick her head out the slightly to admire the large digital display of her on her holiday album cover. She was beside herself with gratitude when Cassandra brought her and Alvaro the day it went up in Times Square. But, undoubtedly, nothing ever compared to sharing her milestones with her daughter.

"Okay, so that's pretty awesome," Rachel nodded, impressed, taking one last long look while they passed by. "Huh _mom," _she mused as she sat back and leaned against her mother, glancing up at her with a newfound realization. "You're really... like… _famous."_

* * *

Shelby inhaled a lungful of air immediately after she let go of the final note, grinning from ear to ear as she took in the buzzing cheers and applause from the crowds at the end of her performance.

"Ladies and gentlemen, _Shelby Corcoran!" _

"Happy Holidays, everyone! And Happy New Year!" She greeted again with a wave before taking one last bow.

The moment she stepped off the stage, strong arms swept her off her feet and twirled her around in a half-circle.

"Oh my god Shel, you were incredible!" Alvaro complimented, capturing her with a deep and passionate kiss while the after-show fireworks erupted over them.

"Did you plan that?" Shelby asked a moment after she reluctantly pulled away, breathless, glancing up at the sky.

"No, not this time," he laughed and pulled her close. "I'm telling you, that _never_ gets old."

"What doesn't?" Shelby asked, returning his pure look of adoration.

"_You_," he smiled broadly, shaking his head in disbelief. "I could watch _you_ do_ that_ forever. You're beyond, Shel. I can't even wrap my head around it."

Shelby's blushed at the praise, giving a casual shrug. "I mean, it's not like I save lives or anything like you do. But thank you Al, that means so much to me."

"I mean, maybe not in the traditional sense, but you're definitely changing lives," he said. He spun her around, then drew her into his arms, her back to his chest in order to face the crowds still cheering on her performance. "_You_ did that," he whispered low into her ear.

If Shelby could melt, she would've dissolved into a puddle right then and there. Instead, she swiveled back to face him and planted another kiss on his lips. "Okay that's enough," she decided, pushing herself off of the man and consciously schooling the affection off her face. "I'm working. You can tell me more about how great I am later, I promise," she assured with a coy smirk.

"Always," Alvaro teased.

"Also, where's my kid?" Shelby asked, frowning when she didn't spot the teenager immediately amongst the crowds behind the stage.

"Shelby! Good god, that was incredible!" A voice called out as he approached.

"Thank you, Nate! Nice to see you," Shelby beamed, greeting the familiar journalist with a hug. "Kind of botched that last note though."

Nate dismissed the criticism with a wave. "It's cold out. You sounded near flawless to me. But can I get a quote for the website? Cassandra said you'd be okay with it when I ran into her earlier."

"Of course," Shelby granted. The _Times_ entertainment reporter often wrote her in a favorable light, and they had built a rapport throughout the years. "Where is Cassandra, by the way? And Rachel?"

Alvaro began to explain at the inquiry directed his way but closed his mouth shut on a second thought, realizing the company. "Together. But they'll be right back," he left it at that.

Shelby gave a suspicious look but decided to cast it off for now. "Alright," she said, snapping her attention back to the writer. "Sorry Nate, what did you want to ask?"

"I will be saving all of my _Enchant_ questions for the premiere on Tuesday, but can you tell me a little bit about what this experience was like for you? Only Shelby Corcoran could stop traffic in Manhattan."

Shelby nodded her head, gathering her thoughts quickly before launching into interview mode. "Sure. I grew up in Ohio but I remember just _begging _my parents to take us to New York for Christmas when I was thirteen. We did all the sights and I remember standing for hours in this line that wrapped around Saks Fifth Avenue doing this exact thing, so to be here headlining and singing and representing the character I love so much is a very special moment for me."

"That's perfect," Nate smiled, clicking his phone off. "Thank you. And I'm sure this is even more exciting to share it with your daughter. I thought I saw your mini-me around here earlier. I can't believe how fast time has flown. She's so grown up now!"

"I know. She is. She just turned _thirteen_," Shelby replied, in a tone denoting her own disbelief.

"Definitely not little enough to sit on your lap during award shows anymore?" Nate recalled.

"No," Shelby agreed wistfully. "Definitely not…"

"..._but_ Rachel's starting to grow up to be more and more like her talented mother," Alvaro interjected, recognizing they were beginning to lose the woman. "Rach is turning into quite a fantastic singer as well."

"Is that so?" Nate asked, intrigued. "Well, perhaps you'd better watch out Shelby. She may be gunning for your job soon."

"Think we're still a few years off," Shelby countered, accepting his hug goodbye. "Always good to see you, Nate. Thanks for coming to talk to me."

"So that was good!" Alvaro turned to face his girlfriend right when the other man walked off. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt just then I was—"

"Where's Rachel, Al?" Shelby cut him off, questioning him with a slight arch of an eyebrow. "You know I don't like not knowing where my kid is."

Alvaro instantly moved to close the distance between them, moving his hands up and down her arms in a slow, placating manner. "She's with Cassandra. They went inside the store right before your set because Rachel said she was _cold_… and _hungry_."

Shelby's mouth fell open for only a second before she promptly threw her head back in laughter. Not like she _didn't _see that coming or try to prevent it from happening.

"So, they missed the entire set?"

Alvaro frowned in sympathy. "Just about. I'm sorry, babe. But _I_ did and like I said, you were great."

Shelby shook her head, amused more than anything. "It's fine. I'm not upset about that. Never. There'll be plenty of other opportunities to watch me perform. I just…" she paused, grasping at the proper way to explain her newly-found frustrations. "She just doesn't listen to me anymore. I don't know if there was a switch that flipped on overnight, but I can't ask her to do _anything_ now without it being questioned or tuning into some sort of fight. I don't understand. I don't speak just to hear myself talk. And it's not like I'm asking for much either. Eat a snack? Wear a hat? Rachel's acting like I'm asking her to do the literal _impossible _when all I'm doing is looking out for her… like always! When did I turn into the bad guy here? And I… _what, Alvaro? Why are you looking at me like that?" _

"Nothing!" He cried out, hands up in the air. He stifled back the chuckle forming at the look of sheer aggravation from the woman. "I'm not looking at you like anything," he defended, dropping his arms back down to his side. "I just… I love you, Shel. You're… an amazing mom," he said carefully, proceeding after a small smile formed on her face. "And I hear you. You're not wrong at all here. But… hi, welcome. Rachel is a teenager now, babe. Snacks and hats are going to be _the least_ of your concerns moving forward. She's growing up. That's completely normal, right? But…" he continued, daring to pull her in again. "This isn't anything that you can't handle, Shel. I know that for a fact. You and Rachel will find a way to navigate all of this," he assured, rubbing her back when she rested her head against his shoulder. "You two always do. And always come out stronger on the other side, right?"

"Idunnomaybe," Shelby grumbled in one long word, shaking her head against the crook of his neck.

"Corazón, you know I'm right," he encouraged, pulling his head back to face her and make eye contact. "You just have to be patient and also let go a little bit and grant Rachel some space to figure things out herself. You've been raising a razor-sharp kid, right? You just have to trust her more too to make the right decisions. She can and she will. It'll just take maybe some more adjusting than you anticipated, but you can do it."

Shelby sighed, relenting. "_We've _been raising a smart kid," she corrected. "_You_ are also a part of that. You're right. I guess. Thanks… for talking me off the ledge. I'm really going to try. It's everything Cass has already told me, but it's..." she kissed, "...much nicer," another kiss, "...when it comes from you."

"You're welcome," Alvaro laughed as she stepped back from the embrace. "I'm always glad to. We can always talk about it some more later too."

"Mom!" Rachel called out a beat later, making her way through the crowd and toward the couple. "Hi, I'm sorry. I got a little cold, so we went inside. How did it go? I heard you through the speaker and you sounded amazing. What's next? Oh, and I got you a hot chocolate, just the way you like it, with some cinnamon. Here. Can we check out the windows now?"

Taking a moment to absorb the rapid-string of inquiries, Shelby's frustrations only melted away at the contagious enthusiasm buzzing off of her daughter. With a sigh, she slipped her own scarf off her neck and offered it to the girl in exchange for the drink. "You, kid, are lucky that I love you so much. Here since you're so cold. Trade ya."

* * *

Later that evening, Shelby let out a long yawn while she crossed the living room, kicking off her slippers as soon as she settled down on the large sectional. "So that was weird, right?"

Cassandra hummed in acknowledgment but didn't break her attention from her laptop screen. "What was weird? Also, Nate already has the story up. I'm glad you were able to talk to him tonight. Sending you an email of it now."

Shelby peeked down the hallway to make sure the teenager's bedroom door was still closed. "Okay, thanks. And Rachel was weird. When we got home earlier?" she said in a quiet voice. She reached over to grab a pillow with one hand and her glass of wine with the other. "There was a moment, right?"

Cassandra turned her gaze to Shelby, thinking. "What? When?"

"With Alvaro? When I asked him to stay over tonight, and then Rachel all of a sudden _needed_ to talk to me?"

"Oh," Cassandra nodded in recollection, shutting her laptop down and switching it for her own glass. "Yeah a little bit. What did she need to talk to you about?"

"Nothing," Shelby shrugged. "She just showed me what you bought for her tonight," she laughed, smacking the blonde with her pillow. "New sweaters? Really Cass? You couldn't be more obvious."

"Are LeRoy and Hiram blind?" Cassandra replied, practically howling. "I'm not going to let them dress Rach like that if I can help it! It's social suicide. She just doesn't know it yet. Thank god she has me. The three of you would let her go around looking like Santa's elves just threw up on her. Your red bow didn't help, either. And you call yourselves parents."

"She's a kid," Shelby countered, shaking her head in disapproval. "I think it's cute."

"Oh, nope, she is very much a teenager now," Cassandra rebutted, swallowing back her woes with fake Instagrams down with her wine. "Maybe she's just feeling a little jealous again?"

"I think so," the mother agreed.

They had gone through an adjustment period when she and Alvaro began dating officially a few months ago. And though they had resolved to be honest and spent ample time reassuring her that she would remain her priority, it was still a process to get her daughter to accept their new reality. Apparently an ongoing one.

"It's fine," Cassandra added after the contemplative silence that followed. "Rachel loves _Alvie. _They get along so well. And he's insanely patient and good with her. You _know_, Rachel. She's just used to having you all to herself or it just being the three of us, but she'll come around. I don't think it's anything on purpose. Besides, you guys have already talked about this."

"Maybe I should bring it up again? Check in on how she's feeling?" Shelby suggested, wanting to be ahead of this situation, so it could be one less thing for her to worry about.

"Why? Because things are getting serious now that you've met all of his extended family? Thanks for _not_ inviting me to come with you to Madrid, by the way."

Shelby rolled her eyes. "I was there for less than twenty-four hours. Thank _you _for pushing things around, so I could go. It was nice."

"So, what's next? An engagement?" Cassandra joked, nudging the actress.

"No," Shelby groaned, crawling under the blanket. "I love how things are right now. I don't know if Al and I need to change anything. He has his own life. I have mine. And we've figured out a beautiful and easy way to include each other both without compromising anything. I am okay with that for now. Stop being such an instigator."

"Fine," Cassandra backed off, smirking. "Are you taking him to the _Enchant _premiere then? Or are you going to wait to talk to Rach?"

"I think let me talk to Rach first about it, should be fine. Maybe I'll talk to her about it after we see G and Jesse and tomorrow. She might be in a better mood then."

"I would be in a good mood if I was young and in love," Cassandra said longingly.

Shelby stuck her leg off the blanket and kicked the woman not so gently. "_Please_ do not insinuate that my thirteen-year-old is in _love,_" she shuddered. "I'm barely getting over the fact that she doesn't think I'm cool anymore."

Cassandra roared in laughter. "It's okay dude, I think you're cool."

Shelby groaned again, tossing the blanket up and over her head completely. "It's not the same!"

* * *

**A/N: **_More of S&R, a JsJ interlude, et. al, soon! Thanks for coming back for more! _


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